The Nutcracker and the Dream Realm
by newbienovelistRD
Summary: Many know the take of The Nutcracker. But this tale takes a certain twist when a fan of the story is taken for the adventure of a lifetime.
1. Chapter 1

**guestsurpise: This story is loosely based on the Nutcracker and Four Realms story and the original Nutcracker. I have to admit, the original Nutcracker is still my favorite. ;) Now on with the story!**

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 _The night has come and you are here_

 _To hear a tale so new_

 _Of soldiers and rats and radical fights_

 _But this tale, I say, is true._

 _For there is one hero and one alone_

 _That brings peace to your mind_

 _He takes you from place to place_

 _And leaves father time behind_

 _Now come and see a brand new realm_

 _One you have not seen._

 _One that bursts through time itself._

 _A wonderful realm of dreams!_

As the wonderful snow was starting to fall and coat the wagons and black streets, Clara looked up into the sky and let the small snowflakes kiss her face. It had been so long since she had experienced snow. There was some sort of magic in the air that seemed to warm her, despite the fact that snow is cold. How she longed for magic to be real because she could use it at this time. Her father had been working at a factory due to losing the family fortune and now he also lost his job. It seemed so unreal to have had to move from a wonderful large mansion to a small shack on the outskirts of their beautiful city. A mansion that could have easily fit 20 people…her childhood home…her refuge….was now gone. But Clara remained hopeful. She still had a flower bouquet that she kept from their garden. One that was made of red roses and purple violets. Of course she knew that this bouquet wouldn't last, but she could try to keep them alive as best as she could.

"Clara come on! We need to catch the train!" Mrs. Stahlbaum called, now trying to drag Clara along with her younger brother, Fritz.

"Why do we need to catch another train; I'm tired!" Fritz grumbled out angrily!

"Listen to me! We need to get to your godfather Drosselmeyer as quickly as possible! Christmas is tomorrow and he wants us all to attend his ball!" Mrs. Stahlbaum replied calmly, now trying to keep a hold of her heavy bag. It contained the last of the items she owned, which of course was not very much.

"Why must we go there?! I need to be searching for a new job immediately," the father replied, now feeling like an utter failure. How could he support his family now? From losing a family fortune that was meant to pass on to his children to a simple shoe factory worker was already humiliating. He was a gentleman! A gentleman didn't work, especially when he had old money to live off of. Why? Why did it have to happen to him. He could only hope that his friends did not find him. The great Stahlbaum now working in a factory to support his family. Why he would be the laughing stock of the entire gentleman's club.

His thoughts were interrupted as he felt a gentle tap on his shoulder. He looked over and saw Clara hold up her favorite story, the Nutcracker. Only a few copies of the book had been made and because she was part of a former wealthy family, she received a copy. The book had been read so much that its' cursive gold print was fading. The red leather binding and picture of a handsome Nutcracker on the cover was fading as well. But what did she care? This was her favorite story. One that she loved to read over and over again. Even when it wasn't Christmas. But around Christmas…this book seemed to come alive. It was almost as if she could feel the characters come off the book and into her life. But of course…the Nutcracker was just a story.

"Father…will you read this to me if it's not too late?" Clara smiled.

"If we have time Clara…we need to hurry and get settled at the mansion." Mr. Stahlbaum responded, now turning and making sure they were heading to the correct train.

Clara nodded and tried not to press with any further questions. Her father was already under stress, but there was nothing left to be said. They were going to be staying with her godfather Drosselmeyer until the family could get back on its' feet.

As they headed towards the train, Clara felt a gentle wind pass her face and she looked up to the sky and noticed that the rain began to fall as well. The rain was mixed with ice so it appeared as if crystals and snow were falling down from the sky.

"If there is any magic left in this world, I wish to see it," Clara whispered. She was not speaking to anyone in particular; she was just hoping that someone would hear her…anyone. But as she was pushed somewhat roughly to get to her seat, she felt that somehow her secret whisper would be heard by someone. As Clara sat down on her rough and cloth-covered train seat, her brother sat next to her.

"Who were you talking to?" Fritz asked, now sitting down next to her and hearing her faint whispers.

"No one," the brown-haired girl replied, now pushing her hair from her face.

"You can be quite strange sometimes," her brother replied, now looking away from her. Clara rolled her greenish-blue eyes and looked out the window as their mother and father sat down next to them. Within a few moments, the great train began to move. Once the movement began, Clara began to see buildings and factories pass by them quickly from the outside. The quick movements made her feel tired and soon the young girl was fast asleep. Little did she know, someone did hear her whispery plea.

Deep in the dream realm, Marcello, the prince of the dream realms, looked at the young Clara with a small grin on his face.

"Why what a charming human…and one who still believes in mystery and magic at Christmas," Marcello smiled. Marcello was a hunicorn, a unicorn who could change from unicorn to human, and he was in charge of keeping individuals at peace through their dreams. However, he preferred a human form to ensure that he could relate more to humans.

"Who is so charming Marcello?" a deep voice asked. Marcello turned and saw that Jocu, the Lauhinian, was there with him.

"Why there is a young girl who still believes in magic at Christmas. Her name is Clara Stahlbaum," Marcello said, now showing the red prince the portal. Jocu smiled at the image and chuckled to himself.

"This is truly amazing. Most young adults no longer believe in us Marcello." Jocu said gently.

"I agree. It is rare to find anyone who believes in Tickle Monsters or Unicorns. Or any magic being for that matter. I even heard most humans do not believe in mermaids anymore either," Marcello added.

"True. But we can understand how they feel. We do not show ourselves to humanity often so some doubt is expected." Jocu replied. Marcello nodded and then pointed to the book in the young girl's hand.

"This young one enjoys the Nutcracker story," Marcello smiled.

"The Nutcracker. A classic for the ages and a wonderful tale," Jocu's smile, however, started to falter. "But I can see into her mind…she is troubled. Very troubled. I can also tell she is having a nightmare."

"Yes…her father has lost his job and they have been having a rough Christmas Eve so far." Marcello said calmly. "What is her nightmare about?"

"She is afraid that her family will be broken up due to their lack of fortune. Her father appears to be distant from the family and it is taking a toll. A broken family is her worst fear." Jocu said.

"Well that won't do. She cannot be fearful on Christmas. Christmas is a wonderful time for being with family and friends," Marcello said.

"I agree." Jocu said, now noticing how the young girl gripped the book in her arms and held it tightly as she slept. His green eyes lit up and he had an idea. "Marcello…"

"Yes?" came the reply.

"What if we take young Clara on a journey? A journey through the Nutcracker story." Jocu smiled.

"Well that would be wonderful Jocu, but how would dreaming of the Nutcracker help a young girl with her fears?" Marcello asked.

"Ah, but that is where I will help her personally. Perhaps by being in an atmosphere that she enjoys, she will feel better about expressing her feelings and letting that fear go," Jocu smiled.

"I think this will be one of your best missions yet. And now…who, pray tell, will be our wonderful Nutcracker hero?" Marcello smiled.

"Why that would be me of course," Jocu smiled, now giving a playful bow. Marcello let out a light laugh and then noticed something. "Jocu…something's wrong."

Jocu's eyebrows furrowed and he quickly walked over. His eyes widened as he saw Clara tossing and turning and slight tears building up.

"Marcello…wake her up! Quickly!" Jocu said. Marcello nodded and invisibly put his hands over Clara's head. He massaged her brow and then whispered in her ears.

"Dear Clara…wake up…" he whispered. Within a few seconds, Clara's eyes shot open and she looked around frantically due to her nightmare. Marcello and Jocu let out a sigh of relief and then looked at each other.

"The Nightmare realm is definitely trying to mess with her…we need to work tonight," Jocu said.

"Yes, we must…the Nightmare realm is trying to ruin Clara's Christmas and dreams," Marcello replied.

"We will make our move when the moon is high in the sky," Jocu replied, now turning and focusing on his plan for the night.

As the two mythical beings were collaborating, Clara's train had finally come to a halt. They had arrived at the train station and the platform was filled with many individuals who were coming and going for the holidays. The air smelled of turkeys, ham, fresh pies, and cakes. The people in the streets were shouting their prices, hoping to sell as much as possible before Christmas day. Clara let her window down and breathed in deeply. She licked her lips unintentionally as she could almost taste the cherry pie and the warm and buttery crunchy crust.

"I'm getting hungry already," she smiled, now feeling her mother tug her arm.

"Clara, please come! Your father is already frustrated and we need you to keep up!" her mother urged gently. Clara nodded respectfully and got up her seat, grabbing her bag and story book. As she followed her family off the train, Clara gasped as she was pushed and shoved in all sorts of directions. She was afraid of losing her book so she tried to place it inside of her bag. However, when a rather large man was passing, he bumped her bag so hard that the book fell out and on the ground. Unfortunately, Clara did not notice.

After a few moments, Clara and her family made it to the black carriage where the coachman was waiting for them. It would only be a few more moments where she would go and see her godfather and be a part of a wonderful Christmas party. As they entered and the coach began to roll through the streets, Clara watched the people begin to sing Christmas songs and walk from house to house. She began to sing along with some of them and she turned and urged her family to sing along too! It wasn't long before Clara, Fritz, and her mother were all singing. Her father just looked away and adjusted his bowtie. He had more important things to do than sing.

Within a few moments, they arrived at the large and intimidating mansion. The mansion almost looked similar to a palace to Clara. It was white with eight windows on each floor. The mansion appeared to have four levels and the second through fourth floor had balconies. The balconies were lined with holly and red juicy berries. The berries were large and appeared almost as cherries! The outside yard was decorated with trees of all sizes and berries, bows, ornaments, and popcorn strings that lined up and down the trees. There were candle lights that were also in the yard that were lit with fire and ready for the upcoming guests to arrive.

"We surely cannot go through the front. We are late. Let us go through the back," Mr. Stahlbaum replied, now seeing them pull up to the mansion. But before he could say anther word, Mr. Drosselmeyer came out himself and had his arms wide open!

"Welcome! Welcome to my home Stahlbaums! It has been so long!" he cried happily, now running and motioning for the coachman to open the door. In his excitement, he helped the entire family climb out of the black carriage and motioned them to follow him inside. "You all are my guests and will stay as long as needed."

"Thank you so much for your kindness but we are not dressed for a party," Mrs. Stahlbaum said, now seeing the other women through the window wearing such fancy dresses.

"Nonsense! If you want privacy, you can ease up the back stairs with me. But we have plenty of clothes upstairs and ready for you all. The party has not even formally begun," Mr. Drosselmeyer smiled, now walking them up the twelve yard walkway and towards the large mansion. As he opened the door, Clara's eyes widened in shock and wonder! The entire room had red and gold colored walls and the pure white and gold tile-like material on the floor was beyond beautiful. It seemed to even have diamond shaped jewels in each corner of each pattern. The patterns appeared to swirl and turn and resembled something that one would see in a dream. A swirl that seemed to pleasantly curl on the floor as if it was heading towards something or making some kind of image. As Clara allowed her eyes to follow the twists and turns, her eyes widened. The image was of some kind of beast. A beast that resembled a horse, but not a horse. It had a long horn that stood from the front of its' head and the horn swirled to a twist.

"What kind of beast is this?" she thought outloud.

"There will be plenty of time to discuss that later," a voice whispered close to her ear. As she turned, she saw Drosselmeyer smiling at her. "But for now…go and get dressed young one. You have a wonderful night ahead of you!"

Clara nodded and embraced him tightly. She was eager to have some excitement after the rough patch her family had gone through. As the young girl ran up the stairs, she did not notice the twinkle of magic in the beast's eye. It was only a matter of time before she would discover it.

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 **guestsurprise: And this is the beginning of my spin on the Nutcracker! Hope you all are enjoying it so far! Special thanks to newbienovelistRD for giving me these great ideas! :)**

 **newbienovelistRD: My pleasure, Amiga ^_^**


	2. Chapter 2

Clara went into her room and changed into a beautiful red dress that was laying on her bed. It had been so long since she had put on a dress like that. It was covered in red and white lace at the bottom and white pearls that decorated the top. She also had a beautiful white ribbon to tie into her hair. She was so excited! It had been ages since she had been to a social gathering!

"Magic…Christmas magic," Clara breathed out happily. What she didn't see was her brother coming around the corner and he smirked as he gently walked behind her.

"Why do you keep talking about that magic stuff? Father said that there is no such thing as magic," Fritz huffed as he bit into some caramel toffee. The boy had stuffed his pockets with the delicious treats and he had no intention of sharing either.

"Because what else is there to hold onto in this world!" Clara snapped. "Father has lost his job, mother doesn't socialize anymore, and we don't have anymore friends ever since they heard of our situation!"

Fritz looked at his sister sadly, not aware of how much that affected her. "Clara I didn't mean to make you angry." said Fritz.

"Well you did! Can I at least have one Christmas where everyone is happy and I can have a good time like we used to?!" Clara yelled, now raising her voice more.

As her parents walked by, the father immediately knitted his eyebrows and growled in frustration. He walked in and stood in between his children, clearly agitated.

"Listen you two! You both had better not embarrass me at this gala tonight! We've been invited and I want to have at least a semi-pleasant time," Mr. Stahlbaum growled out, now glaring his eyes hard into his children. Clara and Fritz hung their heads under the reprimand, but glared at each other.

"If everyone had just a little Christmas Spirit…none of this would have happened," Clara huffed, now walking with her family down the hallway. As she walked down the long, golden spiral staircase, her eyes opened wide as she could see the design clearly from the top of the stairs. There was the image of the horse-like beast and it appeared that it was frolicking with another beast. A beast that Clara could not comprehend. It looked large and powerful with green eyes and what appeared to be red skin or fur. It's black hair and cheeky smile seemed to say it all.

"I see you see my friends," A voice chuckled in her ear as she descended to the floor. Clara turned and saw Drosselmeyer smiling at her.

"Who are these animals? I've never seen them before," Clara said.

"Oh they are mythical beings. They are responsible for children being happy and carefree," Her godfather added.

"Wow…can you show them to me?!" Clara asked happily. But she was confused as Drosselmeyer's smile seemed to falter a bit.

"I cannot my dear. For you see, they don't allow adults to see them often. If anything, it is really rare. They only allow children and maybe some young adults. I, unfortunately, am too old to see them now." Drosselmeyer said gently.

"But I would love to see them and meet them," Clara pleaded somewhat.

"Well my dear…you can only see them if they want you to; you don't have to go to them…they will come to you," he smiled warmly.

Clara nodded in understanding and watched as other children her age began to dance. She turned and grabbed her brother and soon they were all dancing together around on the gold, red, and white floor. Clara turned and swirled so much she thought she would get dizzy! But she didn't care; for this night she didn't have a care in the world!

"Come children! Come and have some treats," a man called, now pulling out some delicious treats from the back room. Clara watched in pure delight as spiced punch, milk, tea, buttermilk, and various types of juice were placed on the table! Cranberry juice, berry juice, raspberry juice, blueberry spice juice…all kinds of delicious beverages for the taking! But as she walked over to the table to get a drink, her eyes widened at the next table! It was filled with all kinds of cakes and cookies! Lemon treats that resembled lemon bars, chocolate cookies, pumpkin cookies, spiced apple cookies, gingerbread, apple streusel, and blueberry cake! Clara let out an audible shout in glee and ran to the table to eat the treats! It was like a dream come true!

After she had plate full of treats, she joined the other children on the dance floor again and to sing the Christmas songs of the town! The fun and jolly environment made Clara almost visibly cry…it was wonderful to be in a happy place with her family and friends. But to her dismay, it was 11:00 pm and the party was coming to an end. Soon the guests were leaving and Clara looked downtrodden.

"Everyone can't be leaving already," she said sadly.

"My dear…the party has been going for over an hour," Mrs. Stahlbaum said.

"B-But…I don't want it to end!" Clara said.

"Clara be reasonable! No one can dance the night away and eat cake and pie all night," Mr. Stahlbaum said, now lighting his pipe.

"But I don't want it to end!" Clara protested, her eyes watering.

"Don't take that tone with me! Why on Earth does it matter that much to you?! It's a silly party!" her father grumbled.

"No it's not! This is happiness! We're never happy anymore! I want this Christmas to be special like the other ones we had!" Clara said sadly.

"Clara, not every Christmas is a jolly one," came the calm reply of her father.

"Well I want this one to be father! It's important! Christmas is supposed to be a happy time and I-I won't let it be a terrible Christmas! I won't let it!" Clara said, now turning and running back in the large banquet hall.

part 2

"Clara come back here this instant!" Mr. Stahlbaum ordered, slightly stamping his foot.

"Come, come…everyone cheer up. This is still a pleasant evening and we still haven't gotten to presents," Drosselmeyer smiled, now ushering everyone to the large and towering Christmas tree.

"I will be retiring early. I do not wish to open any presents tonight," Mr. Stahlbaum said.

"Oh dear, please join us…the children want it," his wife pleaded. Mr. Stahlbaum rolled his eyes and nodded, hoping it would not take too long.

As they took a seat on the red couch-like stool, they watched as Drosselmeyer gave Fritz and Clara each a box. Fritz ripped off the green wrapping paper and red bow and tossed them on the floor in a heartbeat! He then jumped to his feet and shouted in joy! He now had a whole new army of tin soldiers! He now had a complete army for his collection!

Clara, on the other hand, was more careful with her paper. She slowly unwrapped the gold wrapping paper and removed the white bow with great care. The box, for some reason, felt warm in her lap. Why? She was not sure. After all, she was not near the fireplace. She decided to ask that for later and as she removed the top, her eyes widened. Inside the box, was a handsome nutcracker! This nutcracker had dark, black hair, a reddish complexion, striking green eyes, a blue coat with gold buttons, and black pants. His black shiny boots and sharp sword at his side was simply remarkable! He looked absolutely astounding.

"W-Wow…what a Nutcracker! I've never seen one like this before," Clara smiled happily, now holding it up! But she gasped as it appeared the Nutcracker winked at her briefly.

"Let me see him!" Fritz said, now snatching the Nutcracker from her hands.

"Give it back! He's mine!" Clara wailed, now grabbing the feet!

"Now stop it! You two that's enough!" Mrs. Stahlbaum ordered, but the two ignored her.

"I just wanna see him! Give it to me!" Fritz yelled.

"NO!" Clara bellowed. But then they heard a crack! Clara's eyes widened in shock as she saw the arm was ripped off! "W-What have you done?!" she screeched, now grabbing the arm from him.

"I-I didn't mean to," Fritz said gently.

"Look what you've done! You've destroyed him! Y-You're terrible!" Clara cried out, now snatching the Nurcracker and cradling it to her chest as tears began to fall.

"Now see what you've done Fritz. Go to your room," Mr. Stahlbaum ordered, now walking up the stairs with his son. Mrs. Stahlbaum was trying to comfort Clara.

"Now now…no sadness here. It will be alright," Drosselmeyer said gently.

"H-He broke it," Clara sobbed out.

"Clara…it was an accident…he didn't mean it," her mother said gently. Clara just turned away, clearly wanting her privacy. Drosselmeyer nodded to her mother, signaling her would keep an eye on her. Mrs. Stahlbaum nodded back and walked up the staircase to check on her son. Drosselmeyer watched her leave and then turned back to Clara, who was bunched up on the couch.

"Now now…don't be miserable child. After all, you were having a wonderful night," Drosselmeyer whispered, now hugging her to him.

"B-But-" Clara started.

"No buts my dear. Now look at the tree. I have something special to show you." He said, now pointing. As Clara turned, the twinkling jewels and ornaments reminded her of stars in the skies. "Those lights are all about the joy inside each child this holiday. Don't let yours go out…Christmas has not even come yet."

"I know but he broke my gift! My beautiful Nutcracker!" Clara sobbed.

"Now calm down…he's a pretty strong solider," Drosselmeyer smiled, now using a nearby ribbon to fix the arm. Clara wiped a few tears and hugged her godfather.

"Thank you Mr. Drosselmeyer…will you please read the Nutcracker to me tonight? My father usually does but he's too tired I guess," she said sadly.

"But of course. Go back upstairs and get it," he encouraged with a smile. The young girl was on her feet in a flash and ran up the stairs. As she went in her room, she placed down the Nutcracker and looked for her book. But to her horror…it was gone.

"No…No! My book! My Nutcracker novel!" Clara cried out, now ripping out every item in the bag searching for her book. But it was no use…it was not there.

Clara fell down to the floor and covered her face in her hands. How could a wonderful night be ending so terribly? Before she could say a word, she felt strong arms lift her. For Drosselmeyer had been waiting for her and when she didn't return, he knew something was wrong.

"Shhhh…shhhh my little sugar plum." He cooed in her ear. All he heard were sobs and brokenhearted crying. "Now now my little Clara; all is not lost…you will feel better after I tell you the story."

"Y-You can't! I don't have my book!" she cried out; her face was pure red with frustration as hot tears continued to fall. "This night is turning awful!"

"Oh now now…I know a thing or two about the story. Now come downstairs with me by the warm fire and let me tell the story," he soothed, now walking back down the spiral staircase with the girl in his arms. Once they were by the cozy fire, Drosselmeyer began to tell the story. He knew that she was also falling asleep.

"Now many, many years ago…there was a prince that had a curse placed on him. He had been transformed into a Nutcracker and was doomed to fight against the accursed Rat King and his army," Drosselmeyer began. As he began to go on, he smiled even more as he saw a shimmer across the floor. He then leaned down towards Clara's ear.

"Hang on my dear…you are about to venture into a brand new adventure," he whispered, now wrapping a blanket around them and hugging her until they both fell asleep on the couch together.

After a few minutes, Clara shifted because she was feeling uncomfortable. But as she turned, she saw that she was alone in the room. Drosselmeyer was gone.

"That's strange. I thought he was just here," she said to herself. But she also noticed something else; the fire had gone out in the fireplace so the room was even darker than before.

"What is going on? I need to find someone to light the fire," she thought, now getting up from the couch. But as she did, she let out a gasp of surprise. The house looked abandoned! Cobwebs were everywhere and the place looked like it hadn't been lived in in years! Clara began to shake and cower; where was she and why was she alone? For the first time that night, Clara felt afraid. Little did she know…that's exactly what an evil force wanted.

"I-I wanna go home," she said, now cowering back on the couch. But she then felt something warm on her lap again. As she looked down, she saw the Nutcracker. She picked him up and hugged him tightly. "At least I have you!"

"And you always will," a deep voice chuckled. Clara's eyes shot open as she looked down and with shaky hands, turned her Nutcracker around. Her eyes got even wider as the Nutcracker smiled at her. "Hello Clara."

"Y-You're alive? But how?!" she asked in surprise.

"Christmas magic young one. I'm pleased to meet you! Prince Jocu at your service," he bowed.

"P-Prince?! Like in the story?!" Clara smiled widely.

"Yes…but only you can help me. I have transformed into a Nutcracker and I want you to help me break this curse," Jocu said.

"I-I can't" Clara said uncertainly.

"Why not?" Jocu asked gently.

"Because I'm not a hero like that other Clara in the real Nutcracker story. I'm just me," Clara said.

"And being you is more than enough. Now are you ready? We are going to have an adventure," Jocu smiled.

"Really? An adventure?!" Clara grinned, but her smile faltered. "But I need your help. I need to find my family. I was here in this house and now it's empty and abandoned!"

"Well…I will explain on the way. In order to face what happened with your family, you must trust me and come on a journey with me," Jocu smiled. "But for this journey, you may call me Nutcracker."

"Alright Nutcracker. Let's go." Clara nodded in a determined manner. Nutcracker snapped his fingers and soon Clara began to shrink down more and more and more. Soon she was approximately his height. She blushed at how handsome he was and he gave her a small hug.

"Let's go!" Nutcracker smiled, now gently taking her hand. But before they jumped off the couch, he paused and gently smelled the air. His eyes then narrowed in frustration. The Nightmare King was near and he was in the same room too.

"Nutcracker look!" Clara said in shock. Nutcracker turned just in time to see a large rat come into view and it had a crown on its head. It was a large black rat and had red eyes that peered into Clara's heart. It then balanced on its' hind legs and laughed outloud.

"Very well then. If we are playing the 'Nutcracker' story nonsense…then allow me to introduce myself. I am Damus…the Rat King!" he laughed out, now showing his sharp teeth. Clara's eyes widened in horror; this was going to definitely be a bit harder than she thought.

* * *

 **guestsurprise: Oh dear guys! The Rat King has made his move!**

 **newbienovelistRD: GASP!**


	3. Chapter 3

Clara let out an audible shout as she saw mice and rats appear around the Rat King! She screamed so loud that the Rat King began to chuckle in glee.

"Mmmm, how delicious…listen to those screams of horror," he crooned. The Nutcracker turned to Clara and gently grabbed her shoulders.

"It's alright Clara; remain calm," Nutcracker said gently.

"B-b-b-b-but there's a mistake!" she pleaded, now making the Nutcracker confused.

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"It's the Mouse King in the story! Not the Rat King!" she said, now pointing at the large rat that was leering at her. Nutcracker looked thoughtful and then glanced back and forth between them. He then gently took Clara's shoulders and made her look at him again.

"Clara…which do you fear more? Rats or mice?" he asked gently.

"R-Rats," she said softly, making the Rat King chuckle. Nutcracker glared at him and then looked back at Clara.

"Clara, that is why he chose that form. If he didn't, you wouldn't be as scared as you are now," Nutcracker said, now gently hugging her.

"I can't help it! I'm scared of mice and rats!" Clara said in almost a shout.

"Ah, but you fear rats more. Well then…it appears the Rat King is a perfect fit for me. I considered turning into the 'Mouse King' as you call it…but your expression right now proves I made the correct decision," Damus said, making the mice and rats laugh together. But their laughter was cut short as a white being appeared and landed next to the Nutcracker and Clara. Nutcracker smiled as the snow white being stood up tall.

"I've come to help," the soldier smiled. He was pure white and Clara let out a shout of surprise. He looked identical to one of Tommy's soldiers from his present.

"T-The soldiers are alive too?" Clara said in surprise.

"We all are alive," the solider smiled, now turning to her and bowing gently. "I am a friend of the Nutcracker. You may call me Marcello."

Clara smiled at him, but turned her attention back to the Rat King. She couldn't believe how large this rat appeared; he dwarfed the others and was beyond menacing! But something inside of her made her yell out something.

"Where is my family?!" she yelled. The Rat King tilted his head like an evil doll and then glared at her.

"Your family is in the real world; you are in the dream realm. Here you are all alone," The Rat King said lowly.

"Don't listen to him! You are never alone Clara…" Nutcracker said, holding her hand.

"Stop filling her head with that nonsense! She is not going to be able to stop me! She is nothing on her own!" the Rat King called out. "She will never be able to break any spell or stop me from taking over the entire Dream Realm!"

"Yes she will! She will help us find the sugar plum fairy and help us to destroy you," Marcello growled.

"Foolish soldier! The Rat King lives!" A mouse yelled.

"Rat King! Rat King!" another chanted.

"He will destroy the entire realm and Clara will be trapped here forever!" Another added.

"TRAPPED?!" She shrieked.

"Marcello…let's get her out of here…" Nutcracker said, now grabbing their hands. "We will make it if we go through the land of sweets."

"The land of sweets?" Clara asked.

"Yes…when we are there we will search for the Sugar Plum fairy." Marcello said, now getting them ready to jump down. Once they all jumped down to the ground, the Rat King and the mice ran towards them.

"Get her! Bring Clara to me!" the Rat King ordered, now charging at her.

"Run Clara! This way!" Nutcracker said, now pulling out his sword. The mice and rats tried to steer clear of his blade but the Rat King began clawing at him with his claws! But the sword kept them at bay! Nutcracker then turned and motioned for Marcello and Clara to head towards a large hole at the base of the grandfather clock!

"Come! Clara this way!" Marcello said, now almost dragging her as they ran. As the three ran towards the hole, they heard hideous laughter behind them!

"Run! Run as fast as you can little Clara! You will never defeat me! I AM the Rat King and I am your FEAR!" He taunted, now laughing as the three ran faster and faster. Clara felt her heart sinking with every laugh, but Marcello gently squeezed her hand.

"Don't cave in to him! He's lying!" Marcello panted, now running faster. Soon Clara saw a light at the end of the long tunnel and it was only a moment before she was in the midst of what appeared like a snow-like place.

"W-Where are we?" she asked, now looking around.

"The Pine Forest; it leads to the land of sweets," Nutcracker smiled, now motioning to the snow. Clara bent down and smelled the snow. It was pure sugar cane!

"This is sugar!" she smiled in delight.

"And that's not all…there's more where that came from," the white soldier smiled, now pointing to the apples in the trees. Clara looked up and giggled.

"Candy apples!" she laughed.

"You're catching on. What a clever Clara you are," the Nutcracker smiled, now winking at her. Clara looked away and blushed.

"Thanks Nutcracker," she giggled.

"You're welcome," he replied, before his grin slightly faltered. "But we do need to talk."

Clara nodded as she and the two sat down on the sugar cane snow. "We need your help. You can help me break this curse by helping us find the sugar plum fairy. She can help us restore order to this realm."

"But how? What happened to her?" Clara asked.

"We don't know…all we know is that she is gone and she is the only one that can restore order to this dream realm," Marcello added.

"But how can I help if I can't even face the Rat King?!" Clara panicked.

"You have to control your fear Clara. You are afraid of rats, you are afraid of your family breaking apart, and you are also afraid of facing your fears," Nutcracker said gently. "You must learn to control these fears; otherwise, you will not only fail us but you will also fail yourself and let Damus win."

Clara gulped and looked at the misty trees and area around them. "Can't I just go home? I don't even know where I am."

"You're in the dream realm Clara. And in order to return to your family and your world, you must overcome things in here," Marcello added.

"Can't I just wake up?!" Clara asked.

"Even if you wake up little one…the Rat King will always be chasing you because he doesn't want you to face your fears. Do you want him to appear in every dream you have?" Nutcracker asked.

"No! Of course not!" Clara gasped.

"Then we will work together; as we help you, you can help us," Marcello grinned. Clara nodded but still looked scared and nervous.

"Now whatever is the matter? You won't be alone Clara…we are here to be your guide," Marcello smiled.

"I'm just nervous. I'm not a hero guys, but in order to go home I guess I'll have to be one," Clara said lowly. "That's a lot of pressure."

Nutcracker smiled and crawled over to her and gently took her face in his hands. Clara blushed as he began kissing her forehead.

"Come now...you will be just fine. We are here to help you. Now smile," Nutcracker cooed. Clara gave a small smile, but Marcello arched an eyebrow.

"Well that won't do. Surely you can do better than that," Marcello chuckled, now wiggling his fingers at her. Nutcracker did the same and both had devious chuckles and mischievous expressions. Clara let out a squeak and got up and hid behind a tree. Both got on their hands and knees and crawled after her.

"Get back here Clara!" Nutcracker chuckled, now looking for her behind the tree.

"We need our heroine to at least have a smile! Now where have you gone little one?" Marcello asked, now looking too. Both smirked as they saw her giggling and hiding by a bush behind the tree. Both paused and looked at each other. They mouthed one, two, and three and then pounced on her.

"EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEKKKKKK!" Clara giggled, now trying to get free.

"Tickle tickle tickle little one," Nutcracker teased, now straddling her legs and tickling her waist while Marcello tickled her neck and ears.

"Alright alright! STAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAP!" She belted out. As she laughed, what she didn't see were some candied flowers erupting from the ground. Her laughter and joy was also bringing even more life to the dream realm.

After a few minutes, they let her up and enveloped her in warm hugs. "Better?" Nutcracker soothed in her ear.

"Much better. I'm ready guys." Clara smiled, now hugging them and feeling braver. She stood to her feet and looked out in the distance. "Let's go and get rid of that rat!"

"Now that is the Clara I like to see," Marcello chuckled.

"You are absolutely right," Nutcracker smiled. "Let's go."

The three then began to walk through the Pine forest and for a brief moment she noticed that the Nutcracker's reflection in a nearby river looked different. The reflection in the water looked like a large, red being that looked magnificent and strong. He had a small golden crown on his head and a golden sash on his chest. Of course he did not look like a human prince; but he did look like a prince of some sort.

"H-How?" she thought. Nutcracker turned and looked at her over his shoulder.

"Are you alright?" he asked inquisitively.

"Your reflection. It looks different," she said. Nutcracker stopped and looked at his reflection in the water and smiled.

"Yes…that is my real form." He smiled, now standing in front of it. Clara admired it and then turned to him.

"So you are a real prince? But not a human?" she asked.

"No…I am from another realm Clara. But that is a story for another time." He smiled, now walking over to her. "Are you frightened?"

"No," she smiled. "You may not appear human, but whatever being you are…you are still a friend to me and I want to help you."

Nutcracker smiled and lifted her up and hugged her. Clara was truly a jewel in every way. Marcello grinned at them and he continued to lead the way through the Pine Forest. Soon, they would enter into another portion of the land of sweets. The waterfall of chocolate.

An hour later…

As they came to the chocolate waterfall Clara was in awe as she saw the beautiful bits of chocolate that were sitting on the ground and the delicious smell of dark and light chocolate in the air.

"This is wonderful," she gasped, now bending down and drinking some chocolate from the river. But as she did, she saw Marcello quickly tap her shoulder.

"Clara, the Rat King is coming. We must keep moving," Marcello said. Clara nodded, but as she stood she began to get dizzy.

"W-What is happening? I feel so sleepy," she said, now having trouble standing.

"Clara, you're waking up," Nutcracker said, holding her steady.

"B-But what's going to happen?" she asked weakly.

"Do not be afraid. You will always have a way back here. When you fall asleep, enter the mousehole in the clock. We will be waiting for you." Nutcracker added, now kissing her forehead. Clara sleepily nodded and watched as Marcello and Nutcracker smiled at her as she slowly began to wake up.

Within a few moments, Clara's eyes shot open and she saw that she was in bed! She jumped to her feet and saw her Nutcracker was on the desk, still with a bandaged arm but there was no sign of Marcello, the white tin soldier.

"I wonder where he is. No worries; as long as they are still there when I fall asleep," Clara grinned. But as she got back in bed, she couldn't help but think about what would happen when she returned to see the Nutcracker and Marcello. But before she could say anything else, she saw her father enter into the room.

"Clara, I'm glad you're up. It's Christmas day and after we open the presents, we are going back home," Mr. Stahlbaum said. Clara's eyes widened in horror! How can they leave now?! She would have no way to get back to Nutcracker and the others.

"Father why?! I have to stay here for a while," Clara said, now afraid.

"Listen Clara…I received a telegram about a job and we need to go and see about it." Her father replied.

"But it's Christmas day!" Clara said.

"I know, but this is important and may be my only chance to get us back on our feet," he replied, now turning and walking out. Clara opened her mouth to protest, but he closed the door behind him and was gone.

"No! What's going to happen now?! We can't leave! It will ruin everything!" Clara said, now putting her face in her hands. Christmas had arrived and her father wanted the entire family to leave and go on another job hunt with him! Little did she know, Drosselmeyer had been listening by the door during their conversation. Smirking to himself, he walked back downstairs and to the kitchen for something. Within a few moments, he arrived and knocked on the door.

"Come in," Clara said sadly. As he went in, he had a cup of hot cocoa.

"Hello my dear…I thought you may want some of this before you came to open presents," Drosselmeyer smiled.

"But I don't want to keep the others waiting," Clara said sadly.

"You won't. The are still getting themselves ready. Now go ahead. Try it. It's my special recipe," he grinned warmly. Clara nodded and drank the warm cocoa. It tasted so delicious that she drank the entire cup. But once she was through she felt sleepy once more.

"W-Why do I feel sleepy?" she asked, now laying back on her pillow. Drosselmeyer walked over to her and gently touched her head.

"Because you still have a mission little one," he whispered, now gently kissing her cheek and petting her head. Within a few moments, Clara was fast asleep. Drosselmeyer grinned and tucked her in as he got up quietly and closed the door.

Meanwhile…

Clara groaned and opened her eyes. She was back downstairs and a few yards from the clocktower. It was where she first met the Nutcracker and Marcello. Feeling relieved, she began to walk towards the clock tower when she heard a voice.

"Clara.." the voice soothed. Clara suddenly felt a chill in the air.

"W-Who's there?" she whispered.

No response.

"Clara…Clara…" the voice called out calmly again.

"Who's calling me?!" she said louder.

No response.

"Clara…Clara…Clara…." The voice said, now growing from a small whisper to louder and louder. Clara then turned around and let out a shout as the Rat King slowly emerged from the shadows grinning and his red eyes burning like coal! "Clara…Clara…Clara…" he chanted more and more. Clara turned and began to run towards the tower but to her horror, she wasn't getting any closer to the hole in the clock tower! Even worse? The Rat King was gaining on her!

* * *

 **guestsurprise: Well things are certainly heating up!**


	4. Chapter 4

Clara was now feeling scared and she turned around and saw the Rat King gaining on her and chasing her.

"Come now…I don't bite," he called, now chasing after her faster.

"Get away!" she squeaked. But as she looked in front of her, the Nutcracker and Marcello ran out with their swords drawn.

"We're here Clara!" the Nutcracker called.

"Stay away from her!" Marcello growled out. Nutcracker ran and jumped in between Clara and the Rat King and Marcello pulled her to safety.

"Come now…put away the swords. I only wish to speak to Clara," the Rat King smiled.

"We know you're up to no good! Stop trying to trick her!" Nutcracker said, now standing bravely in front of the large beast.

"Clara don't fear. We came to help and we think we also found a clue of where the Sugar Plum fairy is," Marcello added.

"Where?" Clara asked.

"She's on the other side of the Chocolate Waterfall; it appears she's in the land of the candy canes and she has been checking on the candy cane citizens since the Rat King has been capturing individuals for the past year," Marcello said.

The Rat King only shrugged and then winked at Clara. "Why do you fear me so? I only wish to help you." He grinned.

"You-you're a rat!" Clara squeaked out.

"Oh come now…we rats aren't so bad," The Rat King smiled, now gently backing away into the darkness. "Soon, Clara, you will need my help. And when that time comes…I will be waiting."

And with that, he backed all the way into the darkness and vanished completely. The Nutcracker turned to Clara and motioned for she and Marcello to quickly run into the hole in the clock. Once they ran through and were on the other side, Clara was amazed that they were back where she left off…the chocolate waterfall.

"Clara…we can make it…don't fear the Rat King. He doesn't have as much power as you realize," Nutcracker said as he pushed back some branches. Clara nodded but paused as she heard the sound of stomping feet coming their way.

"What's that?" she asked.

"Our reinforcements," Marcello, the white soldier, smiled. Clara grinned as a line of soldiers came into view. They were all ready for battle with the Rat King and his army.

"I want to introduce you to the best group of men in the land of sweets! Jest, Jape, Blithe, Jovi, Vivo, and Amio! They will lead our army in a counterattack against the Rat King when we find the Sugar Plum fairy." Marcello said.

Clara nodded and walked forward and did a small curtsy. The soldiers all bowed and then gave her a gentle smile in return.

"There is a party prepared for you Clara! We are so happy to have your help in breaking the prince's curse!" one of the soldiers smiled. "The celebration will begin when we return!"

"And we thank you for helping us rid the land of that horrid Rat King," another added.

"I'm happy to help! Now where do we begin?" she asked.

"Well we will first go and find the Sugar Plum fairy…she will help us to create a plan for destroying the Rat King," Nutcracker said.

"Find her? Can't she come to us?" Clara asked.

"No…it appears that when she went to check on the Candy Cane Lane, the Rat King placed a spell on the bridge that prevented her from returning to this side," Nutcracker said gently.

Clara nodded and then squared her shoulders. "Then we must go and save her! She needs our help!"

The others nodded and led the way towards the Candy Cane Lane. As they began to walk, Clara giggled as she saw small sugar cane snow flakes falling from the sky, making her smile. She was truly enjoying everything!

"It is so beautiful here!" she giggled, now picking up a ball of candy and tossing it in the air. Nutcracker smiled and Vivo, one of the soldiers, picked up a candy 'snow' ball and threw it at her. Clara paused as she felt it hit her in the back. She then turned and gave them devious smirks! "Oh it's on you guys!"

And with that, she bent down and picked up some snowballs! She then began throwing them at them and a snowball fight broke out! It felt wonderful to just kick back and relax with her new friends! This place was just pure magic!

"This place is wonderful! I wish I could live here!" Clara giggled.

"You mean you would live here even with the Rat King being here?" Nutcracker smirked.

"Of course! I'm not afraid of him!" Clara smiled, now puffing her chest out playfully.

"Oh really? Then let's have some practice," Nutcracker chuckled deviously, now getting down on all fours and giving them a toothy smile. "Clara…come with me my delectable Clara…"

Marcello laughed and then got down on all fours too and gave Clara an evil smile. "Yes…come and become a rat just like the rest of us!"

"I'm not afraid of you! I shall defeat you!" Clara said, now playing along.

"Surely you do not know who you are dealing with…I am the Rat King. Why look at my wonderful long tail," Nutcracker teased, now shaking his coat tails like a tail.

"And look and my wonderful claws…" Marcello added, now wiggling his gloved hands. Soon they all burst out laughing and fell in a happy heap on the ground. It was good to know that fear could be overcome with joy and happiness no matter what. But after a few minutes, Nutcracker helped Clara up on her feet.

"Come everyone. We need to get going. The Sugar Plum Fairy needs our help," he said. They all nodded and headed out.

A few hours later…

Clara, Nutcracker, Marcello, and the soldiers were facing the broken bridge that would take them to Candy Cane Lane.

"What do we do to fix it?" Clara asked.

"We use some of our licorice rope. We will lasso it to those broken pieces of candy cane over there and walk across," Marcello said, now pulling out some licorice rope.

"Wait…we have to walk across? I don't want to fall," Clara said, now looking down. All the way down was the milk river and it would take her to the gingerbread village.

"Do not fear. I will be here to help you," Nutcracker smiled.

"We all will," Marcello smiled, now lassoing the long candy cane sticks on the other side. Once he had it tight, he tied it to another sugar cane tree and began to balance himself as he walked across the licorice rope bridge. Once Marcello was across, he motioned for Clara to come across.

"I-I'm too scared," Clara said in fear.

"You'll be fine Clara…go ahead. I'll walk behind you," Nutcracker reassured her as he helped her up. Clara took a deep gulp and tried to balance herself across. Truth be told, she was doing fine but when she looked down, she began to wobble!

"Don't look down Clara," came the gentle voice behind her. Clara nodded and before she knew it, she was across the bridge. She let out a deep breath of relief and soon they all made it across!

"I hope we don't have to do that again," Clara groaned, now feeling motion sickness.

"The Sugar Plum fairy can help us repair the bridge with her magic," Jest, the soldier, chuckled. The soldiers then led the way to the broken candy cane city. Once they arrived, they saw that the entire village seemed to be covered in some sort of black goo!

"The Rat King…he did this," Nutcracker growled.

"It looks like there was a battle here and some people were captured," a soldier said.

"But where is the Sugar Plum fairy?" another asked.

"Look! Over there!" one said! They saw some people trying to get free of some kind of cage!

"You all free those people and we will see if we can find the fairy," Clara said. Everyone nodded and split up.

Clara was looking among some debris when she heard someone and they sounded like they were mumbling and struggling. As she walked around the corner, she saw a beautiful white fairy with glittery wings, golden long hair, smooth snow white skin, and a light purple dress that was covered in bright sparkles. Her hands were bound behind her back and she was blindfolded and gagged. She was also in a crystal-like container and her wand was placed on the outside of it!

"I'll save you!" Clara said, now walking over briskly and picking up the wand! She didn't even know what to do but before she could call out for assistance, the wand began to glow! Soon it began to melt the crystal cage that held the fairy. The fairy mumbled in surprise, hearing something happened. She then blindly felt around, hoping to see what was happening. "Here, let me help you!"

The fairy turned sharply to the sound of the young girl's voice and mumbled something as if to say 'Who's out there?' Once Clara walked over to her, she could feel the fairy's hands wiggling around as if she was trying to get the wand from Clara's hands.

"Oh! Your wand!" Clara said, now realizing what the fairy wanted. Once she gave it to her, the fairy used the wand's power to get her bound hands free. But Clara then gasped as the fairy then turned and gently took hold of her wrist as she took the gag off. Clara tried to pull back, but she paused at the friendly giggle.

"Hold on there young one. I only wish to greet you. After all you did save me," the fairy soothed, now temporarily releasing her to get the blindfold off. But Clara, being somewhat shy, moved back and hid behind some broken candy cane walls.

"Now hold on a moment. Don't run away…there is nothing to fear little one," the gentle voice soothed. The fairy then gently removed her blindfold and searched the room briefly. She then arched an amused eyebrow as she saw some movement behind the candy cane walls. At that moment, the Nutcracker and Marcello walked in, but the Sugar Plum fairy motioned for them to stay quiet and pointed to Clara's hidden form behind the wall. Nutcracker and Marcello stifled their chuckles as the fairy teleported behind Clara, bent down, and planted a playful kiss on her neck. Clara let out a squeak of shock but then giggled as she was pulled into a warm and enjoyable hug.

"Now come here you. I have the right to hug my rescuer," the Sugar Plum fairy smiled.

"I was just trying to help," Clara smiled, now giggling as the fairy planted another kiss on her forehead.

"What's your name?" the beautiful white fairy smiled.

"Clara." Came the small reply.

"My name is Bliss. But most refer to me as the Sugar Plum fairy," Bliss replied, now letting Clara go and turning to the others. "You all have my deepest thanks. The Rat King was here and I was captured as I tried to protect most of the citizens."

"Where is he now?" Marcello asked.

"I think he was heading to the Gingerbread village!" a soldier said in fear.

"No! That's near the castle! We can't let him storm the castle!" Nutcracker said.

"Then there's no time to lose! We need to get to the castle immediately!" Marcello said, now leading the way!

"We can take a shortcut through the gingerbread village!" the Sugar Plum fairy said, now motioning for them to hurry!

The group then began to run as fast as they could to get to the gingerbread village! They had to stop the Rat King from getting to the castle or else it would cause an even bigger problem! If they took over the castle, they would have a strong hold against the entire land of sweets!

As they were running, Clara could feel a cold sweat going down her head. Would they be able to stop the Rat King? Would they be able to save the land of sweets? And would she ever be able to stop living in fear of the unknown?

"Clara," a voice said. The young girl turned as it snapped her from her thoughts. She saw it was the Sugar Plum Fairy.

"Clara…all will be well. You are the key to helping us destroy the Rat King," she smiled.

"But what do I need to do? This place is wonderful but I'm not like the real Clara in the story," Clara said.

"No…you're even better," the fairy smiled, now winking at her and then telling everyone to stop. "Everyone…I am feeling my strength returning. Come! We will fly to the gingerbread lands."

And with that, she swung her wand and a cloud appeared. Everyone climbed on it and the cloud lifted into the sky and flew them across the valley. The air felt absolutely delicious as it brushed past her face and Clara felt strengthened. She looked into the distance and saw the Rat King and his army approaching the gingerbread village and she squared her jaw.

"I'm not going to let you ruin my favorite dream or hurt my friends!" Clara said lowly, now clenching her fist. For the first time in years, Clara was ready to stand up and fight for what was precious to her!

* * *

 **guestsurprise: Hope you all are enjoying this story so far!**


	5. Chapter 5

Clara and the others landed just in time to see the Rat King and his minions begin to trap the gingerbread people!

"We've got to stop them!" Clara said.

"Yes, but we need a plan," the Sugar Plum Fairy replied.

"What's the plan?" Clara asked.

She motioned for everyone to come around and gather in a circle. Once they were in the circle, they began to discuss the plan.

"We will make a circle around them and keep them from leaving the village. That way we can keep them from spreading. Make sure to engage the Rat King! Don't let him escape either!" Sugar Plum said.

"I will take care of the Rat King. You all make sure to keep his army engaged," Nutcracker replied.

Everyone nodded and then ran out towards the commotion!

"CHARGE!" Marcello yelled out. The Rat King then spun around and saw that they were being surrounded by the soldiers and he growled lowly.

"Perfect just perfect," he hissed. But then he saw that Clara was hitting a mouse with a piece of gingerbread and he smirked. "There is what I need."

And after a few moments, Clara climbed a tree to safety because she had rats and mice chasing after her. She was almost to safety when she saw the Rat King jump on the same branch as her!

"Clara Clara Clara…why are you running from me? I only want to help you," he cooed.

"You liar! Get away from me!" she snapped.

"Oh come now…you can't win this battle without my help," the Rat King said gently. Clara's eyes widened in horror.

"There wouldn't be a battle if it weren't for you!" she growled.

"Listen listen listen…how about a compromise," he smiled.

As Clara kept her distance, the Nutcracker and Marcello turned to see that he had her cornered on a branch. Marcello was about to send the army to help, but Nutcracker held him back.

"No…" Nutcracker said gently.

"What?! Why?" Marcello asked in concern.

"Marcello…Clara has to face the Rat King on her own. This is her opportunity to prove who has the most power…her or her fear…" Nutcracker replied, now looking up at Clara in concern.

"Come on Clara…you can do it," Sugar Plum whispered gently.

Meanwhile, the Rat King began creeping closer and closer to the young girl. She arched an eyebrow as he began to look less and less menacing to her.

"Clara listen to me…I can help you," he whispered.

"What are you talking about?" she replied warily.

"I can help your father get the job he desires. I can help change the frustration you are feeling." He said. "All you have to do is say that I am the answer."

"What do you mean 'you' are the answer?" she asked, now clearly confused.

"All you have to do is say that fear controls all," the Rat King said. "It is alright to have some fear little one. That is the way of life."

This time Nutcracker wanted to say something but the Sugar Plum fairy stopped him.

"No Nutcracker. Clara has to make this decision for herself," she said gently.

"But it's a trap," Nutcracker said in concern.

"We know that, but if we keep jumping Clara will not realize how to handle matters on her own," came the calm response.

They all then watched as it slowly began to snow again. Although the snow was made of candy, it still felt somewhat cold. Clara began shivering a bit and then she looked down and saw a mist begin to fill the area. She looked at Nutcracker and all he did was give her a confident smile.

"Be strong Clara," he whispered, before he and the others were engulfed in the fog. It was now just her and the Rat King.

"Clara…" a deep voice said, snapping her from her thoughts. She turned and saw the Rat King looking at her and almost looking…kind? "Rule with me."

"W-What?" she asked.

"You said earlier that you loved this world and you wanted to stay here forever," he commented. "Help me rule the nightmare realm."

"How did you hear that?" she asked.

"I have eyes and ears everywhere Clara," he said, now gently getting closer and rubbing against her. Surprisingly, his rat fur was silky smooth to the touch and he felt so cuddly.

"Clara…let me help you," he soothed in her ears. "You can stay here and then go back and forth between your world and mine. You will be a wonderful queen here."

Clara looked at him and then hung her head in concern. She wanted to stay but she would also miss her family. All she wanted was to live with her godfather Drosselmeyer and for her family to be restored. As she thought these things, she looked over and saw the Rat King motion to the distance.

"Look my dear…" he said. As Clara looked, she saw what appeared to be her! Only she was wearing a crown and she was the Rat King's queen!

"W-What is this?!" she gasped in horror.

"You being my queen in my future. Look how happy you are! If you say yes to me, you will have everything you ever need. You will be able to stay and rule over this beautiful land," he smiled. But the more Clara thought, she remembered the Nutcracker.

"Wait a moment. If I said yes, what would happen to Nutcracker and my friends?" she asked.

"Oh they would be fine! I would make sure they were well taken care of," he crooned, now smiling at her and putting his paw out. "Join me my queen."

Clara looked at his hand and then looked at him. His offer sounded good because she would be with her friends forever, but then again…she would be the Rat King's queen. She then looked at him and growled.

"You're evil! How can an evil person want me to be their queen!" she snapped.

"Oh I'm not evil. All this time I was simply trying to tell you that I could help you, but you ran from me." He said, now looking at her with a sad, pathetic look. Clara huffed and put her hands on her hips.

"No! You're a rat! You purposefully became a rat to scare me!" she huffed again, now turning away and looking for a way down the tree. But as she turned, she heard a deep chuckle and black smoke that seemed to rise around them. For a moment, she couldn't see anything! As she tried to clear the smoke from her eyes, she heard a gentle coo.

"Oh Clara~…"

As she turned and the smoke cleared, Clara's eyes widened in pure shock! There before her was a young man with black hair that was slicked back, olive skin, and he was wearing black boots, black pants, and a red solider-like jacket. He had a sword as his side and he wore a gentle smile. His handsome red eyes met hers and he gave her a mischievous smile. He then straddled the tree branch and came closer to her.

"How's this?" he crooned, now looking at her out of half-closed eyes. Clara's squeak got stuck in her throat as he got so close that he backed her up to the back of the tree. He then gently tickled under her chin. "Answer me little Clara. Is this form more pleasing to you?"

"W-Well…" she said, still speechless.

"Clara…am I pleasing to you?" he smiled, now getting closer and putting both hands on each side of her.

"Y-Yes…" she said, now turning a bright red. But as he gave her a confident smirk, Clara's eyes then turned stormy and she pushed him back! "NO! YOU'RE THE ENEMY!"

He scowled and crossed his arms. "You are simply confused. I am your answer to happiness."

"No you're not!" Clara said, now standing and making him scowl more. "You are fear! You are hatred and you are not welcome here! I am a friend of the Nutcracker and the land of sweets! We have come to stop you! You are NOT my friend! You are the horrible and terrible RAT KING! And no matter how much magic you use to change your appearance, you are still a downright, filthy, horrible RAT!"

Damus let out an angry growl and transformed back into his Rat King form and stood on his hind legs, now towering over her.

"Fine then! Let's see how brave you are when I lock you in my dungeon!" he said, now grabbing her wrist. But before he could make another move, the Nutcracker sent a well-aimed kick at his back that sent him flying off the branch! Within a few moments, the fog cleared as well and Clara could see that the battle was raging once more! It was as if time had begun again!

Before Clara could say a word, Nutcracker gently grabbed her shoulders.

"Clara! You did it! You did it!" Nutcracker smiled. "You beat him at his own game!"

"What do you mean?!" she asked.

"He was trying to show you that fear was the answer and that he could give you what you wanted if you gave into your fear. He wanted you to admit that fear was your true power but you proved him wrong. You saw clean through him and I'm proud of you!" Nutcracker said, now bending down and kissing her cheek. Clara's face turned bright red and she was about to kiss his cheek too, but was startled as they heard loud shouting!

"This is not the end! To the castle!" the Rat King said, now bursting through the last of the gingerbread gate and towards the castle! His men followed after their leader, making the others panic!

"After them!" Vivo called.

"They mustn't enter the castle!" Jest added.

The soldiers ran to distract them and Clara and the others ran to stop them from getting in the front doors! Clara ran faster than ever, but as she was catching up the Rat King turned and let out an angry snarl!

"I've had enough of this! Nutcracker, you will pay for bringing this brat to our world!" the Rat King roared. Nutcracker stood in front of Clara to protect her, but another mouse distracted him and knocked the sword from his hands! Clara let out a shout of horror as the Rat King ran towards the Nutcracker and they began wrestling hard!

"Nutcracker!" Clara cried out, now running and grabbing his sword from the ground.

"Clara look out!" Marcello cried out, now seeing a mouse running at her. Clara angrily turned and as she held the sword, it began to glow. She swiped at the mouse and it turned into black dust and disappeared!

"H-How did she do that?!" Amio asked, now fighting off another mouse.

"It's Clara's bravery…by her overcoming her fears, she is overcoming everything that has held her back," the Sugar Plum Fairy smiled, now watching Clara run towards the Rat King.

Meanwhile, the Rat King was trying to beat the Nutcracker with his tail but the Nutcracker had a grip on him!

"GET OFF ME YOU FILTHY PIECE OF WOOD!" The Rat King snarled. The Nutcracker only smirked and pushed him back! Once he regained his footing and ran towards the Nutcracker again, Clara ran in between him and stabbed him in his chest with the sword.

"You lose…" Clara whispered angrily, now pushing the sword in more. "And I am NOT afraid of you anymore…"

"NOOOOOOOOOOOO!" The Rat King let out a loud cry and felt himself weakening and was engulfed in bright yellow light. He became smaller and smaller and smaller until he was the smallest mouse possible! He was the size of literally a field mice now and could fit in the palm of Clara's hand!

"Why you little monster! What did you do to me?!" the Rat King said, now looking at how small he was.

"She simply took away your power. You are no longer a threat." Nutcracker chuckled, now placing his hands on his hips. The soldiers then came and picked up the 'Mouse King' by his tail and took him away. All they heard were angry squeaks as the Nightmare ruler was taken away. They all stifled their laughs; the Nightmare King was nothing but a small mouse now. In fear, the entire mouse and rat army dispersed, leaving them in peace once more!

After a few moments, Clara turned and saw Nutcracker walk to her and push her hair behind her ear. He gave her a smooth grin and soon began to change before her eyes. Clara grinned as he became the large being she saw before with red fur, four red arms, a charming smile, and muscular physique. His green gentle eyes shone with pure happiness. He then picked her up and spun her around.

"You broke the curse Clara…your bravery and willingness to overcome your fear changed everything," Nutcracker smiled.

"I-I didn't do that much…" Clara shied away cutely. She then saw the others chuckling and as she turned back to face the Nutcracker, he had a devious expression. He placed two hands on her face and pulled her forward. Clara's eyes widened as he gave her a kiss on her lips.

"Well well…" Sugar Plum giggled.

"It appears Nutcracker had to 'thank' her properly," Marcello smirked, now crossing his arms in amusement.

After a few moments, Nutcracker broke the kiss. Clara's head was spinning and her face was bright pink. He only chuckled and placed her down carefully.

"Now then…please join me for a dance. It is time for our celebration," Nutcracker called out. Everyone cheered and began to prepare the celebration!

And what a celebration it was! Gingerbread men began to dance and the chocolate knights began to march in formation! The Sugar Plum fairy raised her arms and began to light the sky with beautiful candy-like fireworks and the citizens began to bring out plates of sweets and candy for everyone to share!

Clara's smile grew wider and wider as she saw the beautiful sight around her. She danced with the Nutcracker and took turns dancing with each of the knights. It was truly a night to remember for all time. But then Clara's smile began to fade and she hung her head. She then walked towards a crystal waterfall to clear her head, not knowing that Nutcracker saw her and was following behind her.

"Clara? Is something wrong?" he asked, now getting closer.

"Nutcracker…I know that this dream will eventually end and I don't want to leave." She said, now feeling a small tear.

"Hey now…no tears," he whispered in her ear. "Clara it will be alright…remember…you will always have me and the others."

"No I won't Nutcracker. Eventually dreams end and are forgotten. You all are some of the best friends I've ever had. I don't want to lose you guys!" she said, now feeling a tear running down her face. Nutcracker said nothing; he only smiled and gently pulled her hands for her to come back with him to the party.

Clara complied, still feeling a heavy heart. But after a moment, her smile slowly returned at seeing everyone having a good time and dancing to the music.

"Clara…may I have another dance?" Nutcracker smiled warmly, now placing his hand out. Clara, still feeling blue, pulled back a bit.

"Nutcracker I'm sorry. But I don't feel like dancing," she said, but squeaked as he gently gripped her hand and pulled her out on the dance floor. For you see, he knew time was short and he wanted one last dance with her.

"I'm not taking 'no' for an answer," he remarked in a playful manner, now pulling her to his chest and beginning to twirl her around. As she danced, she heard the sound of a clock and her heart dropped. She recognized that clock; it sounded like the grandfather clock at her godfather Drosselmeyer's house.

"N-Nutcracker," she said, now pausing and looking at everyone around her. Everyone seemed to understand that her time was coming to an end because she was waking up. She saw the soldiers smile and kneel in respect for her and the Sugar Plum fairy come over and briefly kiss her on her head.

"Do not fear Clara…we may indeed meet again one day," she cooed, now gently backing up.

"We are happy that we were able to serve you. You will be just fine," Marcello said, now giving her a gentle bow. Clara ran over and hugged him tightly, now tightening the hug as she heard another ring of the clock tone!

Clara then spun around and ran to the Nutcracker and hugged him hard, now feeling some tears fall down her face because the entire place was beginning to fill with a peaceful white mist The dancers, the soldiers, and the Sugar Plum fairy were all disappearing. But not before she saw their reassuring smiles and waves goodbye. Soon all she heard were the sweet calls, thank yous, and grins from the citizens and everyone before it was soon just she and the Nutcracker.

Clara looked up at him with tears forming even more but he continued to gently waltz with her across the floor. One arm reached up and wiped her tears away as he gave her a soft, reassuring smile.

"Do not be so down my dear. You completed the greatest task of all….overcoming your fear," he whispered gently.

"But I don't want to leave you all…," Clara said, now feeling tears pouring down. It wasn't long before she felt the third ring of the clock tone and she saw the Nutcracker fading too. She felt him pull her to him tightly and she hugged him with a strong grip. So hard that she thought she heard him grunt. But he patiently let her hug him.

"They are waiting for you little one. Go to them," he whispered as he bent down in her ear. Clara then heard faint voices of her family trying to wake her up for the Christmas gifts.

"No! No I'm not ready yet! I want to stay with you guys…I want to stay with…you," she said sadly.

He made her look up at him and he pressed another gentle kiss on her forehead. His gentle eyes peered deep into her very soul and he gently rubbed her face.

"Do not fear the unknown Clara…trust that all will be alright," he said softly. And with that, he simply embraced her and she buried her face in his chest as they were engulfed in fog.

A few minutes later…

Clara slowly opened her eyes and saw that her uncle Drosselmeyer was sitting next to her. She sat up and immediately hugged him and knocked him back on her bed.

"Oh little one! Are you alright?" he asked, now holding her to his chest because he was alarmed at her action.

"Oh godfather. I had a wonderful time, but I had to leave them all so soon," she whispered. She knew he wouldn't understand, but she had to express her sorrows to someone! But she gasped as he got closer to her ear and nuzzled her.

"Do not be so sad. After all, they would not want this." He said in a whisper. As she looked at him, he wiped her tears and rubbed her head. "Now come…your family is waiting for you."

Clara hesitantly nodded, but glanced at the clock and her eyes widened in amazement. The time was still the same. It was like she had never fallen asleep at all.

* * *

 **guestsurprise: The final chapter is coming next everyone! :)**

 **newbienovelistRD: Alright! The grand finale! :)**


	6. Chapter 6

As Clara got herself up and out of bed, she turned to get her Nutcracker. But as she thought…he was gone. And so was Marcello the soldier.

"This is going to be a sad Christmas," she said, now looking at the clock. Even though the time had not changed, she felt like she had been gone for ages. But there was nothing she could do; all that she had left from her wonderful adventure was a memory.

After wiping a sad tear from her eye, Clara walked down the stairs with her godfather after she had slipped on a white, fluffy robe. As upset as she was, she was excited that it was Christmas. Hopefully the wonder time would help her forget what was happening.

"Come everyone. Come and see your presents," Drosselmeyer said, now motioning for everyone to go towards the large tree.

Clara glanced at the presents and noticed how happy everyone looked as they began to open the presents and exchange gifts. But even receiving new dolls and dresses didn't make Clara happy. She still felt upset and downtrodden.

"What will happen now?" she thought to herself.

"What will happen with what?" Drosselmeyer asked, now sitting next to her.

"Oh godfather. I met the most wonderful friends in my dream; I just wish they could be here with me," Clara said, now hanging her head.

"Are you sure that they are truly gone?" Drosselmeyer asked.

"Of course they are godfather. It's impossible for people from a dream to actually exist," Clara said sadly.

Drosselmeyer hugged her tightly and then motioned to the window. "Young Clara…sometimes things are not as terrible as they appear. Why don't you go and pick which horses should pull our carriage today? I spoke with your father and he agreed to stay a bit longer for you all to enjoy Christmas today," the pleased godfather smiled.

Clara nodded and headed to the window. Even since she was little, he would let her pick the horses when she was feeling sad. There were beautiful stallions that were prancing around and they appeared as white as snow. She was about to point to which ones she wanted for the carriage when she noticed a being next to them who was grooming him. He wore plain black pants, a white shirt, and black boots. He was tall and had a familiar and pleased grin. His hair was as white as snow and his blue eyes were absolutely mesmerizing. He gave her a small bow and a wink.

"M-Marcello!" Clara said in glee, now jumping down off the window and racing outside! He knelt down in the snow and opened his arms wide. Clara ran into his arms and he hugged her tightly! She knew for sure that this was the brave solider that was by her side with the Rat King!

"Shhh…don't be so surprised young one. We will always be here when you need us," Marcello whispered in her ear.

"But I thought you all were gone! I didn't know that dreams could come true!" Clara said happily, but started looking around excitedly! "But where are the others? Where's Nutcracker! I mean…Prince Jocu! Where is he?"

Clara was cut off as Marcello gently put a single finger to her lips and chuckled in his usual deep voice. "Do not worry so much. Enjoy this Christmas today and let this day take care of itself," Marcello winked, now looking over her shoulder and seeing her mother and father running out. They were very concerned why their daughter just darted out of the house!

Clara hugged him and the moment her father called she turned to answer him. But when she turned back, Marcello was gone! But Clara only smiled; she knew that he was not far away from her. What was most important was that she saw him!

"Clara get back in this house at once! It's snowing and cold!" her mother ordered.

"And get changed! It's time for the carriage ride!" her father added.

Clara nodded and happily ran inside to change her clothes. That was the beginning of a wonderful Christmas indeed.

A few moments later…

The entire family was inside the carriage and they were on their way! They were going to have a wonderful time watching the children play in the snow and hear people caroling on the streets.

Clara even leaned out the carriage a bit and let the beautiful air flow through her hair. As she turned to look out the other side, she let out a gasp of joy. There was a caroler that was with a group and she was absolutely beautiful. She belted out a beautiful note that sounded like "Clara."

Clara felt the carriage stop because they were stopping at a bakery that was open. She jumped out and she hugged the caroler tightly. She knew exactly who it was.

"Sugar Plum fairy! It's you," she whispered happily and as a small tear of happiness formed.

"I'm here sweetheart. Do not be upset Clara. This is going to be a wonderful Christmas for you; now be happy. The holiday is just beginning," Bliss cooed, now leaning down and kissing her head. Ironically, her entire family was so busy looking at the bakery and the items that they did not even notice the attractive woman that Clara was talking to! When Clara turned to introduce her family to the fairy, she turned and saw that she was gone!

"Sugar Plum?" she said softly. But then she giggled as she felt arms around her from behind. As she turned, she saw the fairy smiling at her.

"Go and spend time with your family little one. I will always be here when you need me," the beautiful fairy smiled, now kissing her head and disappearing into thin air. Clara could only smile as she heard her father calling her; it was time to return to the carriage.

As the family got back into the carriage, Clara was beyond amazed! There was so much magic in this Christmas air that it made her feel like she could fly! She almost wanted to run through the cobblestone streets and through the snow!

An hour later…

The carriage stopped as they all noticed a Christmas festival. Since it was Christmas day, everyone was taking time to sing songs together and pass out treats before returning to their homes for further celebration.

Clara watched as her family got out and got some cake and pie. But it wasn't long before they were ready to return to Drosselmeyer's mansion.

"Can't I stay for a bit longer?" Clara asked gently. She wasn't ready to leave so soon!

"And how will you get home? It's going to be getting late soon," Mr. Stahlbaum asked.

"Not to worry. I have a friend of mine meeting me here. I will watch over Clara and then we will head back to my home together soon," Drosselmeyer offered.

Clara's mother and father looked at each other in slight concern, but then agreed that all should be well if Clara was with Drosselmeyer. After a short goodbye, the family was on their way back.

Clara, now feeling excited, turned to thank her godfather, but he was gone! Now feeling a bit scared, she looked everywhere, but he was nowhere to be found.

"Godfather! Godfather Drosselmeyer," she called out, trying not to panic. But she felt alone! As the people began to sing and pass out pieces of cake, Clara began to nibble on her slice and enjoy the music. Until she could find her godfather, she had to remain calm and at least enjoy the rest of the festival.

As the snow began to fall and coat her hair, she looked at the sky and began to whisper to her friends.

"Guys, that was the greatest adventure that I ever had. I do hope we all meet again," she whispered.

As she was whispering, she giggled as she felt something tickle her ears. She then turned and saw that some of the people were wearing fluffy and funny masks! Some of the feathers on the masks were tickling her and making her laugh.

"Oh what a cute laugh," a deep voice crooned.

"She is quite a cute little one," another voice added.

Before Clara knew it, she felt six people surround her and gently wrap their arms around her. She turned and hugged them too, but as she tried to get a closer look at them she noticed all had masks on that were brightly colored for the holiday. The masks were decorated with vibrant green, yellow, gold, red, white, and other colors that reminded you of Christmas joy and celebration!

"Who are you guys?" she giggled, but she smiled even brighter as one reached down and whispered in her ear.

"Just a few of your friends," a deep voice answered. And with that, each of them lifted their mask and it was none other than the soldiers who helped her in her dream: Jest, Jape, Blithe, Jovi, Vivo, and Amio! They all then heard a deep melodic voice crooning over the crowd and they all smiled.

"Your night is far from over little Clara," Jape grinned, now placing his mask back down.

"Not at all. Someone is waiting for you," Blithe smiled, now putting his mask down as well.

"Go…and enjoy a bright and beautiful Christmas," Jest replied, now kissing her head and he and his brothers turned and seemed to vanish into the crowd without a trace.

Clara was about to follow when she heard a deep melodic voice that seemed to be stronger than everyone else's. Now curious, Clara walked towards the sound and got even more excited as she got closer and closer to the source!

Within a few moments of gently making her way through the crowd, Clara noticed a bright white carriage that was pulled by white horses. The carriage was lined in gold and looked like it was positively made for royalty.

As she got closer, her godfather came from the side and gave her a bow.

"Hello my dear. I'm glad you found me," he smiled.

"Godfather! I was looking for you everywhere! You missed the singing and the cake," Clara said, trying not to be cross.

"Oh don't be upset my dear. I have something I want to show you," he grinned, now pointed to the red velvet seat inside.

Clara's eyes opened wide as she saw a present sitting on the seat, but right beside that was a pair of strong legs that were crossed elegantly.

"W-Who…is that?" Clara asked, not seeing the face yet. Drosselmeyer smiled as he got closer and knocked gently on the door, making the figure slowly make his way out.

"Clara…I want to introduce you to an old friend of mine. Clara, this is Prince Jocu," Drosselmeyer grinned, now watching the large prince get out.

Clara's eyes widened in happiness and joy! This young man had bright green eyes, dark black hair, slightly red-tainted skin, red naval officer uniform, black pants, and black boots. He got out of the carriage and gave her a small bow.

"Hello Clara~" the prince cooed, now gently taking her hand and kissing it. Clara was happily stunned as he then placed a hand on her shoulder. "Come now…don't you recognize me?"

"N-Nutcracker!" Clara said, now jumping at him and letting him catch her and spin her around. Drosselmeyer smiled as he then winked at the prince and motioned for them to get inside the carriage. But as Clara was about to get in, she turned to her godfather.

"You…you knew about this all along. You helped me through this entire journey, didn't you?" she said gently.

"Because my dear…that is what family does," he whispered back with a smooth smile. Clara then leaned over and hugged him tightly. Without him, Clara wouldn't have been able to even meet her friends! After a moment, they parted and he climbed up with the carriage driver.

"I want you two to be alone for a while," the godfather smiled, now watching them get inside and get comfortable.

Soon the carriage began to depart and Clara felt a gentle tap on her shoulder. As she turned, Prince Jocu gave her the gift that was on the seat.

"Go ahead…," he smiled.

Clara looked at him with a small smile and began to unwrap the gift. As she did, she saw a brand new copy of the Nutcracker story!

"N-Nutcracker!" she said happily.

"I figured you would need this back," he grinned, now feeling her hug him happily.

"Thank you! I lost my copy when we were coming here and I have no idea what happened to it," Clara said, now nuzzling into his chest.

"Well now that you have it you always have a way to remember us," Jocu smiled. Even though he was in his human form now, he still did not mind her calling him the Nutcracker.

"But Nutcracker…why can't others see you besides my godfather?" Clara asked.

"Because we are part of your world and your journey Clara. Your godfather went on a similar journey as you many years ago and that is why we still have a connection with him," Jocu explained, now feeling her hug him.

"I wish you could stay here forever," Clara said with a sad smile.

"Don't be upset; we will always be here when you need us," Jocu replied, now nuzzling the top of her head. "Now how about we have some time together on the way back hmmm?"

And with that, he opened her story and placed a blanket over their laps. The prince cleared his throat and felt Clara lean more into his broad chest. And with his deep voice, he began to read the story again of the Nutcracker. And as he was reading, Clara smiled and waved as she saw the faces of the fairy, the soldiers, and the gingerbread people smiling from the snowy fog from outside. Truth be told, the story of the Nutcracker would never be finished. It would always be a part of Clara and every person who believed in the story.

"Thank you…I can't thank you enough," she said, now waving at the faint, but familiar faces.

"No need to thank us. By facing your fear and being strong, you created a perfect Christmas Clara," Jocu smiled, now feeling her turn and kiss his cheek.

A girl a prince a night so clear

A wonderful time was gained.

A beautiful place that's free from fear

Bravery now untamed.

The story has now come to a close

But keep watching for the light

Merry Christmas to every one of you

And to all a wonderful night!

* * *

 **guestsurprise: Merry Christmas everyone! I hope you all had a wonderful time with this story! And as this tale comes to a final curtain, Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!**

 **newbienovelistRD: And Merry Christmas to you too, Amiga! Have a blessed holiday with the ones you love! :)**


End file.
